WORLD AIRLINES PROPOSAL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 96, 19 January 1944, Page 6

WORLD AIRLINES PROPOSAL

Under International Control DOMINIONS’ TALKS (By Telegraph.—-Press Assn. Copyright.) ? CANBERRA, January 18. A proposal that an international transport authority should be established to operate major overseas air lines after, the war is believed to be am one the submissions to ‘be considered by the Australia-t New Zealand Ministerial conference. This suggestion is part of a conipreheSve pllTcovering territorial questions. trade, and post-war economy and designed to promote international amity, particularly in the Pacific area. The delegates to the conference whicn has opened so auspiciously are confident that a common understanding will De reached on the documentary submissions embodying this plan, thus enabling Aew Zealand and Australia to act in unison at the" forthcoming conference of Empire Prime Ministers in London and subseouentlv at international meetings. One suggestion before the conference is that a permanent secretariat should be established operating alternately in Canberra and Wellington to provide the machinery for collaboration between the two Dominions. . . i/i ~ This secretariat, .it is believed, would form part of the Empire consultative council’’proposed by the Australian Prune Minister, Mr. Curtin. Its functions would include the co-ordination of the post-war economic requirements of. Aew Zealand and .Australia and the maintenance of a liaison between the two Governments on questions of international policy. The delegates are unanimous that tne consultations between the two Dominions should be continuous and that the opinions of both countries should be reconciled on all subjects before either is disposed to commit itself in the wider international sphere.

. Armistice Representation. The discussions by the conference of territorial questions will, it(. is believed, be directed toward the maintenance ot the British possessions in the Pacific, it is considered that in the defence .arrangements in the Pacific after the war New Zealand and Australia might be assigned areas of protection which would include territories other than British because of the necessity . for the. maintenance of strong bases in forward positions. It is admitted, however, that this subject is one for consideration not only between .Australia -and New Zealand ' but also by the two Dominions together with the ■United Kingdom and, finally, by an international conference. . . A strong view, it is believed, is held that in such post-war territorial arrangements there should be a comprehensive planned settlement instead of disposal of territory to one nation or another by a combination of the leading Allied Powers. Full representation on any armistie commission is likely to be sought for Australia and New Zealand, since it is firmly held that there should be full consultation with these southern Pacific United Nations on the questions involving general security. , , „ In post-war civil aviation it is believed wide agreement could be hoped' for by the establishment of an international transport authority. Under such'an arrangement' it might be agreed that New Zealand and Australian personnel should assist to man the international'services linking New Zealand'and Australia'with the rest of the world. Such an international’transport authority, it is held, would not prevent. New Zealand and Australia from operating either internal air services or feeder services to adjacent territories. .

On domestic problems affecting the two Dominions the documentary submissions before the conference are generally directed toward -co-ordinating the resources of both countries for the remainder of the "’ar. . .

COMMON POLICIES

Luncheon To Delegation

' OANBORIRJA, January 17. If New- Zealand and Australia attended the- Imperial Conference and sub-, sequent world councils, with a common' policy and spoke with , one voice, then they would he heeded, declared Australia’s Prime Minister, of-the last war, Mr. W. M. Hughes, speaking at a Commonwealth Government luncheon to the New Zealand Ministers. This, 'he added, would give every hope for settlement of the problems of the Pacific. The United -Kingdom High Commissioner in Australia, Mr. Ronald Cross, said that while he could not say- what the dictates -of high strategy would be, he personally hoped -this strategy might mean that important forces from the. United Kingdom would join the Austra-i lian and New Zealand forces fighting in . the Pacific; thus further cementing the Imperial bonds between the three na-■,-tibns. • ' . ■■ V ' . ? Australia and New Zealand were “mates” in the real sense of the word, said Mr. Curtin. The two, countries were not seeking a millennium,- but were working as rapidly and energetically as possible toward social conditions which woujd bring a maximum of comfort land a minimum of hardship. In matters; of economics, trade, and population it was absolutely imperative that the’ point of view of New Zealand and Australia should be clearly understood. said Mr. Fraser, in replying to the welcoming -speeches. Australia was a wonderful country of untold resources and had played a part in war which would stand to her eternal credit. The Commonwealth’s industrial expansion had consistently surprised New Zealand Ministers who had paid wartime visits to • this country. Share With Britons. “What you are asking Australians to do we are asking New Zealanders to do,” declared the Prime Minister. “They will be asked increasingly to share what they have with the people of the United Kingdom.” The New Zealand Minister of Defence Mr. Jones, thanked Australia for its great assistance to New Zealand service personnel and said that Australia had given generously of het store of war equipment at a time when she herself was hard put to it. ■ Criticizing workers who absented themselves from their wartime duties, the New.-. Zealand Labour .Minister, Mr. Webb, said he had been delighted at the way the New Zealand Federation of Labour had linked up with the Government to further the prosecution of the war. Only two cases of industrial stoppages had lasted beyond one day. He was proud of the New Zealand coal miners, who in a year had held “only one or two little stop-work meetings.” Any worker who held up production was helping the enemy.